We have met all our obligations to Asanovic – Football House 

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has maintained its stance on the matter of former Chipolopolo head coach Aljosa Asanovic. 

According to a press statement by FAZ Communications Manager Sydney Mungala availed to the ZamFoot Crew, FAZ maintains that it met all its obligations to the Croatian gaffer. 

FIFA has ordered FAZ to pay former Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanovic $1.1 million for wrongful dismissal.

“Following the decision by the FIFA Players’ Status Committee to find in favor of former Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanovic in a matter he reported to Zurich, FAZ wishes to update its membership and stakeholders.”

FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga confirmed that FIFA had notified the association of the decision.

“We wish to confirm that FIFA has informed FAZ of its decision to award damages to Mr Aljosa Asanovic who reported the association to FIFA after having abandoned his post in unclear circumstances,” Kamanga said.

“FAZ duly submitted its records of having paid Mr Asanovic his dues up to the point of his desertion. We attached all the evidence of payment in our counterclaim, and it remains our hope that justice will be done. Mr Asanovic was appointed under Zambian laws and was deemed to have deserted after having absconded work for more than 10 days in line with the law. Additionally, his contract was performance based tied to qualification to the CHAN, AFCON and FIFA World Cup.”

Kamanga went on to say that Football House is engaging FIFA on the way forward to ensure that justice prevails on the matter.

“FAZ has engaged FIFA on the matter and will be exploring various ways to ensure that the decision is reversed as FAZ has met all its obligations to Mr Asanovic,” Kamanga maintained. 

FAZ appointed Asanovic on 18th January 2022, but the Croatian unilaterally terminated his contract on September 22, 2022, after having abandoned his station on September 30 in the aftermath of Zambia losing 1-0 at home to Mozambique to be dumped out of the African Nations Championship campaign.